Kazekage's Tears
by tdoodle62sing
Summary: Gaara is Kazekage finally,but what happens when the pressure finally gets to him. Temari and Kankuro try to help, but what if he doesn't want help?


Prologue

It was cold outside. It usually was that way around night time at Suna. It didn't matter how scotching hot it was earlier that day. When night time comes around,it gets cold.

There was one person who knew this better than anyone else though. He's always awake during the changes. He's awake during the scorching hot and during the freezing cold. He's awake during the howling winds and the sifting sand. He's awake when a baby cries and when somebody dies. He's always awake,he never sleeps.

He is not a God or a demon(though some would disagree), He is a person, who would have lived a normal life, if it weren't for the shukaku, the demon that was sealed inside of him at birth. He didn't ask for it, he didn't reject it. He had no say in it. He never slept,for if he did the demon would be unleashed.

People hated him. They treated him as if he were the demon inside of him. No one dared to get near him,out of fear. The only reason the council kept him around was to use him as a weapon against their enemy's. This left the boy's childhood miserable, unloved, and without a purpose.

Many Years Later...

Gaara sat behind his desk ans stared out his window. Night had fallen and the city of Suna was asleep. He had finished his work and everyone had either gone home or were sleeping in the upper levels of the building. He was probably the only one still awake at this hour.

He sighed,looked up at the clock, and sighed again. It was 4:30AM. It would be two hours until the first few shinobi got up to start training. Three hours for the staff to start preparing breakfast for everyone, and three hours & fifteen minutes before he could finally head down for breakfast with his siblings. He knew the system so well it was almost scary,but when your up all hours of the night you learn things well. Like his father snores and wheezes in his sleep. The cooks sometimes stay really late discussing things,while drinking coffee in the kitchen. Every third Tuesday Temari sneaks out to do who know what. The list goes on and on.

Turning his gaze back to the window,he realized how peaceful Suna was at night. It was always different then the usually hustle of day time. Everyone could sleep peacefully knowing that their new Kazekage was protecting them. It was weird, people who use to run away from him in fear now look up to him for protection and leadership.

Leadership? Gaara leaned forward in his chair and put his elbows on his knees. He slowly rested his head on his hands and stared at no particularly point on the wall. Leadership. What did he know about being a leader? Sure he has lead missions, but thats nothing compared to leading the whole village of Suna! He covered his face with his hands. Was he really cut out for this job? Could he really defend these people, who would have been happy to cut off his head just a few years earlier? His breathing quickened. He couldn't do this,he couldn't be a leader. He didn't have the the skills to be one. His heart started pounding,and the room got tighter all of a sudden. BANG! BANG! His heart was pounding harder. BANG! BANG! The room was getting smaller. BANG! BANG! Everything was going black. BOOM! The door went flying across the room, and Kankuro ran into the room. Temari was soon to follow.

"Gaara!" Temari ran to her brother,who was now shaking extremely violently. She grabbed her brother, trying her best without hurting him to calm him down . "Gaara, whats wrong?! Are you injured? Were you attacked?!"

After this comment Kankuro started to search the room, but was stopped by a sudden whimper. He turned to see that the source was Gaara! "...Gaara...are you...okay?" He really wasn't sure what to say. Usually Gaara was so emotionless and conversed,and now he was having a break down! Frankly, he wasn't even sure what to make of the situation. Whatever was happening that is. "Did something...happen?" Trying to at least get a hint on what was happening.

Slowly becoming aware of his brother's voice ans sister arms around him, Gaara shaking became even worse. It wasn't that he hated his siblings. In fact they were more like brother and sister now then they ever were. That was what made it worse. His siblings used to fear him, but would risk their lives for the weapon of Suna if they had too. Now they would still risk their lives, but to willingly save their little brother. They were willingly th follow any order he threw at them. Not out of fear, but out of respect and love. And now they were seeing him like this, crumbling under pressure. What were they thinking? Were they changing their minds about him? Maybe their thinking I couldn't do this? I can't do this? I can't? I can't. I can't!

"I...c-can't." He said it so softly that it would have seemed if the wind had whisked it away the second it left his lips. Not quickly enough though. Temari held her brother tighter and looked at Kankuro. Kankuro just became more confused.

"What can't you do Gaara?" Kankuro asked as calmly as he could. There was never really much that Gaara could and could not do in the past. He almost always had his way before and now as Kazakage he has almost all the freedom he could ever want and more. If things weren't interesting before,they certain;y were now.

Suddenly Gaara pulled back from Temari and retreated toward the window. He pressed his forehead against the cool glass. He closed his eyes. Slowly the coolness of the glass began to calm down his hysteria and return his slightly red, puffy eyes to their normal calmness. The headache that had started to rear it ugly head, had receded. After a few minutes, he had returned back to his normal self. He didn't want his siblings to worry for him. He wanted them to go back to their rooms and sleep in peace. He didn't want them to know the disaster that was whirling through his head right now.

" Gaara?" Temari was worried as hell. In fact if her youngest brother didn't say something else soon...well it just wouldn't be good. Her brother may look calm, but it didn't take a mind reader to tell her that something was bothering him.

Gaara slowly stood up straight and took a deep breath before he turned to face his siblings. "I'm fine, really, don't worry about me. You two should get some sleep." He really just wanted them to leave and with each passing second that they were there,he was growing more and more aggravated.

"No Gaara." Kankuro surprised himself,but he wasn't just about to leave and act like nothing ever happened...or at least not without a fight. "We're staying."

"No Kankuro. Your both leaving." His voice had a small growl to it and he lowered his head slightly. He did not like being disobeyed, but he was trying his best to keep his cool.

"No...we're staying Gaara." His voice held firm and he stood his ground. Making it obvious that he wasn't going to budge till Gaara started talking.

It became quiet...very quiet. The room became so full of tension that it would make a pin think twice before dropping. Temari wasn't sure what to do. She was stuck in the middle of her two younger brothers. As much as she would like to stay and try to confront Gaara with Kankuro, she really didn't want to disobey the Kazakage. Gosh, she really wished someone would say somethi-. Her thought became cut off when a low, thourty growl came from Gaara's direction. "G-gaara?" she whispered.

"Leave. Now." He was getting close to his breaking point.

"No," Kankuro's heart was beating fast, but he stood his ground. If he left now he'd never find out what happened to Gaara.

"Leave."

"No."

"Leave!"

"No."

"I SAID LEAVE!" He was yelling now, but he couldn't help it. Kankuro had cross the line and now he was ready to remove him by force if he pushed him any farther.

Kankuro stepped back. His heart was shaking violently in his chest. He was scared, but he sure as hell couldn't leave now. "No Gaara! Your going to have to drag me out of this room if you really want me to leave, and nothing you say is going to change that."

"Fine, if thats how you want it, thats how it's going to be." He snarled back. With that he raised his hand and thrusted it in Kankuro's direction. Sand surrounded his wide-eyed brother and wrapped around his legs, soon taking him off the ground and suspending him in the air. He flicked his wrist wrist and sand quickly wrapped around the rest of his body(except for his head). "Now leave!" He drew his arm arm back and thrusted it forcefully forward, causing Kankuro to be thrown into the wall behind him.

It ached everywhere. Kankuro slowly opened his eyes. Temari stood with a horrified look on her face, he really didn't blame her though. If it had looked half as bad as it it hurt, then it must have been a pretty awful sight. Gaara was standing not to far away from Temari, but the look on his face was not of horror, but of anger and distress. He had to get back up. Kankuro slowly began to push himself up, but then a white flash of shear pain ran through his body, sending him back down to the floor. Ok...looks like I'm stuck on the floor. The puppeteer looked back up at his little brother. "Your going to have to try harder than that to get me to leave."

Gaara scowled. His brother was defenseless and yet he was still picking a fight. He didn't get why his siblings wouldn't just leave already. "Your going to regret saying that." Gaara raised his arm, preparing to attack again.

"GAARA STOP!" Temari's voice was shaky and her eyes were watery. She wanted her brothers to stop fighting. If she didn't say something now, she might not get the chance to later. "What could you be hiding that you would have to go to the extent of hurting Kankuro to hide?!"

"Neither of you would get it, so get out." Gaara didn't remove his stare from Kankuro, nor did lower his arm.

"Gaara we want to help you. Maybe we won't get it, but you at least could let us try." Her voice had returned to its normal firmness, but her heart was pounding like crazy. So he does have a problem. At least we're getting somewhere now.

"Temari, just take Kankuro and leave." Gaara had dropped his arm and looked at her. He turned to looked at his brother and his heart sunk a little further in his chest. His older brother was lying on the ground with his back against the wall for his only support. He did that. He put his brother in that pain. He turned his gaze to the floor. He was turning into a monster again.

Gaara was soon teared away from his thoughts by a noise. He looked up to find his brother pushing himself off the ground. All he could do was stare. When Kankuro was finally up, the puppeteer a quick look around and then started limbing his way toward Gaara. The redhead knew his brother was in pain, but yet he still kept going. It reminded him of a certain blond he met sometime ago. When Kankuro made it to him, the puppeteer placed his hands on his shoulders.

"Gaara, we care about you, we're worried for you, and we want to help. Temari and I love you and we're **not** leaving until your okay." He looked at his brother square in the eye the whole time he said this. If his little brother felt anything at all during this, he did a hell of a good job not showing it.

There was silence again. Temari was a bit relieved. She'd rather have silence then her brothers fighting, but she knew the quiet was short lived. What happened next would all depend on Gaara's next response.

"...I'm...scared," he murmured. Gaara stared at his feet. That was all he could let out, but he knew the question that was soon to follow. Though he hoped it wouldn't come.

Now Temari was curious and worried. Gaara was never easily scared, and if he's scared there's probably something big going on. She forced herself to move from the comfort of her spot to her brothers. "Scared of what Gaara?"

Gaara looked up at his siblings. It was clear he wasn't going to get out of this. The redhead closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and reluctantly began. "I'm sacred of...being Kazekage." He took another deep breath. "I'm scared of the fact that people who hated me now have to follow my orders. I'm scared that the second I do something wrong the council is going to get rid of me. And I'm scared that I won't be able to defend everybody." A whimper escaped him. He was close to having another episode when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him.

"Gaara, why would you think that?" Temari's arms pulled him into a hug. "You've proven to everybody that you can do this. The council wouldn't have chosen you if you couldn't."

"But what if I screw up? W-what if they change their minds!?" His voice cracked, and he felt his eyes starting to water. Gaara could've really cared less at this point though.

Now it was Kankuro's turn(who had somehow during all this kept his hand on Gaara's shoulder). "So what if you screw up. Their not going to change their minds. Even if they start too, Temari and I will raise a **lot** of hell before they kick you out."

"It's true Gaara. We have your back." she felt her brother shift in her arms, not pulling back, but in. She looked at her youngest brother. Somehow she could feel the tension lift from his shoulders. She relaxed.

"...thank you." It was quiet,barely audible, but still heard. Kankuro stared at his brother. There were only a few timed Gaara had ever really apologized to anyone. Of course, he couldn't be much more surprised then he already was. A smile crept along his lips. "Your welcome Gaara."

Gaara looked up. He felt hot tears streaming down his face. This time they weren't tears of angst and self pity though. They were tears of comfort and confidence. He glanced at Kankuro, who looked back with a smile. His eyes seem to say everything and more. He turned to his sister. She let go of him and stood next to Kankuro, as if to back up his statement. She smiled and rested her hand on the puppeteer's shoulder. Gaara smiled.

There was silence...again. It wasn't tense or sad , it was more just awkward. Kankuro was the first to break it. "Well I think we can leave you till breakfast now, but I think before breakfast I'll take a quick trip to the infirmary. Just to make sure everything is in one piece hopefully."

Temari's hand leaped from his shoulder. "Are you okay?" Not giving him anytime to answer. "Of course not. Here I'll help you." With that she put his arm around her shoulder and started dragging him out the door.

"Gaara, we'll see you at breakfast okay," the puppeteer called out, before the door swung shut.

Gaara smiled. Breakfast, got it. He turned and made his way back to his desk. Sitting back in his chair, he swiveled toward the window. The sun was just beginning to rise and the city of Sauna turned a light orange color from the light. He could hear the first shinobi getting up to train, and soon the cooks would start making breakfast for everyone. Which meant soon he would have to go downstairs and face everyone, but he wasn't worried. Not any more at least. His siblings had his back and if anything went wrong they would be there for him.

He stood up and made his way to the door. The doctors were probably going to want to know what happened to Kankuro and he want to be there when he told them. He stopped in front of the door. He recapped what Temari and Kankuro had told him. He was Kazekage, the council chose him, and nothing was going to change that. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.

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It occured to me that there must be a lot of pressure being kazekage you know. So I figured Gaara had to let it out somehow. I don't own Naruto or any of its characters...


End file.
